Mexico: A Boxing Country

By Jamie Eskdale - 01/19/2014 - Comments

marquez89By Jamie Eskdale: Mexico has provided us over the decades with some of the most entertaining boxers the world has ever seen. When you think of a Mexican fighter you think of a warrior who gives his all, never backs down, always willing to engage in a war and has a chin made of granite.

It was with this curiosity that I decided to go on a journey of sorts and immerse myself in Mexican boxing. Watching old bouts the hairs on my neck and arms literally stood up at times as I was gripped by the action I witnessed.

Some of the stuff I seen I had seen before. Some of the fighter I seen I was already familiar with, some I wasn’t. One thing I knew I would see was action and I wasn’t disappointed.

The regional ranks in Mexico seem to be amongst the toughest around. More often than not the fighters who make it out and grace the world stage turn out to be stars in their own right. The Mexican fighters seem to epitomise the environment from which they have came. The warrior spirit it would seem lives in them and drives them on.

They always seem to be truly humble and grateful when they achieve any success.

Some of the fighters to catch my eye were Gilberto Román, Ruben Olivares, Chucho Castillo, Miguel Canto, Carlos Zarate, Vicente Saldivar, the tragic Salvador Sanchez and more obvious fighters Julio Cesar Chavez, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.

It was while reading the back story of Ruben Olivares and watching old fights involving him that I came across his rivalry with Chuco Castillo.

Olivares was cast as the archetypal bad boy, with his violent fighting style and out going personality it was easy to portray ‘El Púas’ as the villain.
Olivares also seemed to enjoy the spotlight, often seen out and about partying and mixing in celebrity circles.

This was in stark contrast to Castillo. Castillo was one who shunned the limelight, was softly spoken and tried to maintain a low profile as often as possible.
It would all culminate in a trilogy of fights between the pair.

Previously both fighters had had a common opponent having a shot at Lionel Rose’ WBC and WBA bantamweight titles. Castillo came up short, but Olivares triumphed winning by knockout.
Olivares would out point Castillo in the first fight.

The rematch was set for 6 months later. Everyone knew what to expect given the intensity of their first fight.

However nobody could have anticipated just how gratifyingly violent the second would be.

A clash of heads early in the fight opened up a cut above Olivares’ left eye.

The first 5 rounds were brutal with both men feely trading punches on each other, it really was exhilarating stuff.

The intensity at which Olivares was fighting was dropping. Perhaps he was aware of the cut. Castillo was the aggressor through the middle rounds. Putting together combinations and really putting it on Olivares. Though to be fair to Olivares he was giving just as good as he was getting as momentum would swing between the pair frequently.

In the ninth Olivares would back Castillo up and unleash relentlessly on him. Never flustered though Castillo would come back, driven on by the approval of the raucous crowd.
This pace more or less continued through to round 14, give or take a lull in proceedings here or there.

The referee would halt the action at the end of round 14 due to the cut Olivares had suffered early in the fight. Castillo now 40-10-2 was the new bantamweight champion, giving Olivares his first loss.

Just 6 months later they would get it on for the third and final time.

This time Olivares would have to rise from the canvas once more and fight his way to a 15 round decision. Winning back his titles.

It was probably a fitting end to the trilogy. Just watching these guys fight so regularly and taking on each other again so frequently marks a stark contrast to today where it seems to be a game to protect the ‘0’ at all costs.

These guys fought a trio of fights in a year! While Olivares also managed to squeeze in 4 other fights, absolutely incredible.

On to more modern times now and another 2 fighters who served up a trilogy of excitement. Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales.

Sometimes in boxing you get 2 guys on paper that match up well and you believe will bring an exciting fight but it fails to materialize and afterwards you are left feeling deflated.
Well in this case we had 2 guys who matched up on paper and brought absolute fireworks to the ring.

In February 2000 Morales won the first fight via split decision to capture the WBO super bantamweight title. The fight was named Ring Magazine’s fight of the year and was also named best fight of all time.

It was a fight of epic proportions with the action swinging back and forth. It was also controversial as many seen the fight going the way of Barrera, mainly based on the fact that Barrera put Morales down in the twelfth.

Morales admitted after the fight that Barrera was the biggest puncher he had ever faced.

So both fighters were obliged to do it all over again, and that they did.

The rematch was set for June 2002. This time it was in the featherweight division for WBC, The Ring and Lineal titles.

Morales seemed determined this time for there to be no doubt about who would win. He would dominate the first half of the fight with Barrera seeming overly cautious.

Barrera would go down midway through the fight however it was ruled a slip, though many observers thought it was a legitimate knockdown.

Barrera would come on strong in the mid to later rounds though it seemed as though Morales had just done enough.

Barrera was given the nod this time. Again it seemed as though it was the wrong call. Though few could argue that after 2 fights it was probably fair that they were 1 apiece and the spectre of them doing it all over again was an appetizing thought.

The third fight took place at featherweight and was for the WBC title. Both men were determined to show who was indeed the better fighter and put the rivalry to bed.

This time it was Barrera who started fast. Quickly coming out the traps and setting the pace, rocking Morales at the end of the first round.

Morales came on strong in the second half of the fight staggering Barrera in the 11th.

Barrera got the nod this time in a close fight.

This fight was also named fight of the year by The Ring.

I would urge anybody not familiar with these fights if they have a couple of hours to spare to watch all three fights back to back. The action was unbelievable and both guys showed tremendous heart, guts, spirit and ability to keep coming, even in the face of adversity.

In researching this article, one man’s name kept coming up. I mentioned him earlier but resisted deliberately mentioning him, keeping him to the end.

There is so much I or anyone else for that matter could write about Juan Manuel Marquez and his incredible career. But for me he only needs remembered for one thing. His stunning KO of Manny Pacquaio.

For anyone who had followed their 3 previous fights they would know that Marquez rightly felt aggrieved and believed he should have been given the nod in at least 2 of the fights. Going in he was 0-2-1 against Pacquaio. He was absolutely determined to win this, and that he did.

Pacquaio took the first 2 rounds with Marquez seeming content to feel him out. That all changed in round 3 with Marquez landing some good shots, particularly to the body. Marquez would fein a body shot then throw a loping overhand right and drop Pacquaio for the first time in their meetings up till that point.

Pacquaio didn’t really engage much for the remainder of the round.

Marquez would also take round 4 giving him a slight edge going into Ring Magazine’s ‘Round of the year’.

Pacquaio seemed to turn back the clock to a time when he was walking through everyone and unloaded on Marquez before flooring him with a straight left.
Marquez rose and fired back landing a straight right that wobbled Pacquaio.

The action swung back and forth with Pacquaio really taking it to Marquez landing several unanswered punches including a right hook that wobbled Marquez and seemingly broke his nose.
Kenny Bayless watched Marquez intently, looking for any sign to stop the fight.

It was clear Marquez was in trouble and needed something big. In the sixth Pacquaio took up where he left off consistently tagging Marquez.

It was all set, with less than 10 seconds remaining Pacquaio double fainted a jab. Marquez ducked and obliterated a right hand bomb on Pacquaio. It was all over. He had done it.

Finally Juan Manuel Marquez had beaten Manny Pacquaio. He had beaten him in a way that most of us envisioned he couldn’t, by brutal knock out.

Marquez wheeled away, arms aloft, celebrating the biggest win of his career. And in the process he created not just one of the most iconic moments in Mexican boxing, but probably boxing the world over.

Thank you for reading. I can be contacted on twitter @jamieeskdale83.



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